Door catch



J. D. CARROLL Juue21, 1955 DOOR CATCH Filed July 22, 1949 man. T L

L mm mn. m D. N m

DOOR CATCH John D. Carroll, Berlin, Works, New Britain, cnt

Conn., assignor to-The Stanley Conn., a corporation of Connecti- Applicanon Jury zz, 1949,`serial No. v106,110

4 claims. (ci. 292-18) This invention relates to improvements in a door catch and, more particularly, to the type of door catch which is readily adaptable for use with cabinets for releasably retaining the doors thereof in Vclosedposition.Y

It is the principal object of this invention lto provide a door catch comprising a pair of s'eparate'lngers which are mounted so as to resemble a U-shaped detent retaining member, but said fingers are independently supported ady Y 2,711,335 Y Patented vJune ,21, 1955 26 A which are integral with` the earsV 12 andare connected at one edge by a horizontal portion28. The sides 26 are vertical to the ears 12 and the portion ,'28,y and) said sideseare` each disposed at aslight angle tofthe transverse axisl ofthe bracket 10, as is clearly evidentV y, from Fig. 1. jThe bracket is also provided withafrontVv wall 30 whichis somewhat T-shaped, Vasshownin Fig. 3, so Vas to provide appair of spaced parallel edges 132 forv purposeslto be described; `Substantially.centrally ofthe 'fronts wallt) is an inward extending; protuberance 34 whichisealsol for purposes to be described. -The .sides I 26are also provided adjacent their rear edgesl with a e substantially parallel relationship,-

' plementary opposed relationship `as jacent their inner ends by a bracket and a spring exerts a thrust against theinnerv endsof the lingers which are inturned atsubstantially right angles to the mainportions vof the fingers, whereby the 'outer jaw portions or strike. engaging ends ofthe lingers are` biasedgtoward each other. A. e It is another object of the invention to so .arrange the bracket, fingers and' spring .of the catch that .theV

resulting assembly is very compact, durable, and fabrication thereof is readily and inexpensively accomplished,

whereby the cost of manufacturing 'is low.

Details of these objects and of the invention, as well as other objects thereof, are set forth ,in the `following specification and illustrated Vin `the accompanyingdrawing forming a part thereof.

In thedrawingf Figure `1 is a plan view ofone embodiment -of a` catch and detent embodying theprinciples of the invention, the saine being shown attached to fragmentary portions of an exemplary cabinet and door.

Fig. 2 is a side View, partly in section, Aof the catch illustrated in Fig.V 1 but notincluding aY strike.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of theV the catch shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is another embodiment of catch for the strike retainingv fingers of the catch.V VIn lthis figure, part of the bracket'. is broken away to facilitate the illustration of details of the structure.. f

Fig. 5 is a side view,partly in section,' o f vthe catch illustrated in Fig. 4. Y s

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view showingfcertaindetails of the fingers of the catch. e e

Referring to the drawing, a bracket10 is formed'from suitable sheet material, such'as, sheet metal, `so as to have a pair of opposed ears 12 whichextend in opposite directions away from each other in a common plane, said ears being arranged to be attached to a surface of la cabinet such as a shelf 14, which is fragmentarily shown in fFig. 1.y

Said ears are each provided with Van elongated Yslot 16 through which attaching screws 18 are inserted, the slots 16 permitting adjustment fof the bracket 10 toward or from the door 26 of the cabinet. In FigLl, the door has been illustrated as a type having a rabbeted edge Z2 which abuts against a side strip 24 of the cabinet to limit the inward movement of the door 20. Such cabinet is merely illustrative and not restrictive since the present invention may be readilyrused on other types of cabinets and similar structures. i F

The bracket is also provided'with opposed 'side walls bracket per se Y of Q .similar to that; shown in Fig. 1 but including a different pivot means.

pair of opposed parallel openings or'slots 36.; g

A pair of similar, somewhat elongated'tngers Y38 are` be norrnallygixr` as shown in Fig, 1.

supported by said'bracketf 10fso as. to

While said fingers are similar, they are mountedin corne shown insaid ligure.. The forward ends of said fingers are minate'in outwardlyiiared ends 4.2. ASaid ends. 'am .ab ranged .t0 receive therebetween a strikeV 44 formed, 'for examplejfrom strip metal andprovided with 'opposi-telyl eat-ending ears 46 whichfarehapertured to receivefscrews Y 4S by whichV the `strike isl secured to the; cabinet door- 20. fThestrike 44 terminates inja Y bulgecly sides, and said bulged Vsiclesiof thehead andsternY n, of the strikelsnpporting `ther head are engaged by portions i pointed head 50having of the opposed curved jawportions 40V ofithefngers tof e releasablyretan thev strike :between the jawlzcnds jofzthe, fingersso as to holdjthe door`20 inclosed position.`

, The fotherorfinner ends"V 52 of` :thefingers Varefbentrl inward substantially atrightalnglesiso as ,to-be'disposed; in asnbstantially common. planewh'en the'lngers arefin Y strike .engaging position', ias'wsliown in Figf 1..: .fln the embodiment of theinvention' shown in Fig. `1,.the"bent portions ofthe inner ends of vsaid fingers 38 are alsoV PrO.-

seen from Fig. l.

vided with. outwardly extendingftongues k5K4 which. aref ,e opposed to the inner `ends 5,2.of said lingers, ,the tonguesVV Y 54`beingxmovably received respectively ,inV the Vslots 36 of the sides 26 of the bracket ,'10 so astofprovidefmeans*V for pivotallysupporting theinner endsv of the fingers 38 relativeeto the bracketlt). n After thev fingers v38 are assembled the slotsk 36, accidentalrernoval of the tongues 54from saidY slot's is prevented due to the n juxtaposition of the` end surfaces of the ends r52 of the'fngers, as can be readily the front wall `3,0cooperate with the front edges of horizontal portion 280i the bracket toeguide thefjaw portions ofpthe fingers during their movement towardand away Y i from leach other while engaging the strike 44.

The forwardendsof the fingers 38 are biased each other'byrresilient means suchas ahelical spring 5S disposed between Vthe lingers so that the endsV ofthev spring abut respectively theV inner surface of front wall 39 of the bracket andthe inwardly bent inner ends 52 ofthe fingers which are formed so'as to extendpast each other as shown in Eigg.' The ends 52 are'longer than the,v f diameterof spring 58 and the side of the spring farthest Y from. the fulcrum of the Vlingers exerts pressure on the tips of the ends V52.' Said spring is positioned at its for` ward endfbyprotuberance V3:4 which is disposed. centrally of the forward end coil of said spring. It'will thus be seen that the spring`58 exerts a thrust in a direction Vpar.-Vv .allelto the fingers 3S and the movementof the forward j ends ofthe fingers toward'each other is limited by` inter'- mediate portionsof said lingers respectively engaging the,`

sideedges 32 of the front wall 311. During ordinary use, there is no need to provide vmeans for limiting movement vofthe outer ends 'of the lingersaway from veach other 'I i y provided with inwardV extending, curved, jaw-forming portions .4Q which ter-V- @inV the bracket between the sides S26-and the tongues 54 are disposed within'.

The oppositely extending wings 56 r4oi v i.

since the sides' of" the pointed head 50 of the strike are normally spaced apart suehL ashort` distance'Y thatA separative movement of the outer ends of the fingers 38 is usually not great. However, the sides 26 of the bracket will' prevent excessive-separative movement of the' outer V ends of the fingers'.

In Fig.V l', the right-hand finger 38 is shown-in dotted line-position-to' illustrate the position it assumes when the bul'gedt side-of' the pointed"- head 50 engages' the most inward-'extending'partvof thecurvedportion of jaw ill of-the-right-'handlinger 38'. During actual operation, both fingers Wil-lbe movedapart at' their outer ends to positions:representedby-the single dotted'line position shown-1inf-Fig:` l-relative'tothe' right-handiinger, it being understood that' th'et'orwa'rd portion of the left-hand iinger will b'e' moved) to: the leftfa similar distance. When so separated'at their forward ends, the spring 555A constantlyfbiases saidjawsv 40 toward each other and will causesa-idjaws"to-iirrnly and frictionally engage parts ofthe-sides oi'thestenr portion of thel strike 44'as well as portionsofthe bulgedhead 50. ln order that such firm" engagement will occur, the side edges 32 of the front` wall' Sii'` are'V preferably spaced apart a distance slightly vless than the distance between the inner .surfacesV ofitheadj'acent intermediate` portions of lingers 38 when the` jaws ofV the fingers engagethef strike, as illustrated in Fig. l'.

Theeinbodirnentrofk the invention. illustrated in Figs. 4 and is similar-in principlev to that shown in Figs. l

through 3. However; diiierent means are provided therein for pivotally associatingithe inner ends of the fingers 38 Withthesides26 of the bracket-"10. it will be seen from Fig. i'tliat theA fingers 38'are provided with inner ends 52 which aretengaged by spring 5S but, in' lieu ot' thetongues 54 in Fig; l; the-straight, substantially parallel portions ofthe fingers 3ft-are connected to the inner ends 52 by rounded; outwardly extending bearing portions 60, and the sides-2640i the bracket lt) vareprovidedv adjacent their rear edges withelongated semicircular bearing grooves or depressions-62. Said'depressions thus afford means for supporting theirrnerends of the fingers 3S for limited rotativemovement relative to thesides 26 ofthe bracket The bearing-portions'fof'the lingers are retained in saidbearing depressions 62"of the sides 26 of the bracket by' the-outer surfaces of at least the innermost .1;

eonvolntrins of the spring 58bearingagainst the inner surfaces, of the fingers 5S. Inward movement of the jaws fiio'f the. fingers 38', when not engaging the strike, u-ill'beliniit'ed'by engagement' of'the inner surfaces of said iingers with' the edges 32"of 'the front Wall 39 of the bracket, as in the embodiment shown in Figs. l through 3 and described'above relative thereto,

lt will'thus be seen that -the present invention provides simple, ei'ective, and compact means for mounting a pair of'separate but cooperative fingers, the outer jaw ends of which are biasedtoward each other, for rictionally receiving therebetween and engaging a strike for purposes of holdinga door in latch'ed or closed position. Since the fingers are separate from each other and independently mounted vfor' pivotal movement relative to the bracket which supports them, there is :no possibility of said lfingers breaking, and the-spring meansV used to bias the jaw ends of the lingers toward each other is mounted so as to exert thrust in its .most efficient manner, that is, longitudinally of the axis of the helical spring.. Used in this manner, the spring will have. greatest possible durability with the least vpossibility of-.racture and loss. of inherent strength. Further, this manner-of mounting; the spring eliminates the need for any coupling means between the spring and the elementsotheicatch engaged thereby, other than a meretab'utt-ing-,engagement.betweenthe spring and said elements.

While Vthe invention has-been. illustrated and described in its, severalfpreierred embodimentsV and has includedcertain detailsit.should.be understood-that the. invention 4. is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated andn described:Y since'v the sameA may be carried" out' in other ways, falling within? the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim as my invention: i

l. A catch comprising in combination, a bracket provided with opposed sides eaeh having an opening therein, a pair of elongated fingers supported by said bracket in substantially parallel andsp'aeed relation to each other andi one en'd'of.` eachiiingerV comprising one of a pair' of' opposed jaws arranged' to receive' and engage: therebetween a strike, the other ends of said fingers being bent towardeach. other, atongue extending from each finger adjacent the b'en't 'end' thereof; saidtongues being movably disposedrespectively within'.V said openings in said sides of said bracket to permit limited pivotal movement of said lingers relative thereto, and a spring positioned to abut said bent ends of said fingers and exert a thrust' thereagain'st in`Yv adirection substantially longi-v tudinally vof saidtfinge'rs and" therebyyieldably bias said" jaws toward-'each other.

2. A' catch' comprising a brackethaving"spacedA apart sidewalls; a pair' of elongated lingers formed of'liat' strip metal' p'ivotally" supported between said walls in sub'- stantialy parallel and spaced relation to each other willi oneend ofeaclr linger' comprisingone of a pair of out'- wardly extending; opposed jaws arranged to receive and!v engage therebetween a strike, the other ends of said' lingers being benttoward`- each' other at substantially righ't angles withres'pject to the general, axis of the-fingers, sa'id other ends" bein'g laterally displaced and in the lsame transverse plane, a transverse wall on the bracket disposed betweentheliin'gers and having its opposite edges limiting. inward" pivoting movementthere'of, and a compressed' spirarspringb'earing. againstth'e b'ent ends of the fingers` and the'transverse wall' to positionthe fingers and'bias the jaws toward eachv other.'

3. Alcatch comprising in combination, a bracket h'a'ving atransverse wall', apair of elongated fingers sup.'- ported by saidbracket'a'nd extending past th'e' opposite" edges of the transverse wall in substantially parallel and'- spaced relation to each other and oneend'of each` n'ger comprisingone`of'a`pairof Opposed'jaws arranged.' to receiveA and engage-therebetween a' strike, the other ends.' of" said* fingers being' bent toward each other and displaced laterally' with respect'to each other so as to Vexte'r'l'd past each; other.` Without.' interference in' th'e same transverse plane andsaidf-fi'ng'ers" also being pivotally' as s'ociateduelative t'o said"bracket" adjacent' the bent' portions. ci said iingers, and a coiled spring of smaller diameter' than'the lengthofthe bent ends Vofsaidngers positioned between said'wall `ofsaid bracket and said bent ends so`` as to,exertathrustagainstthetips of 'said bent ends in .1 a direction Vsubstantially longitudinally' of said' ingersla'nd thereby yieldably'bias "sai'd'jaws' toward each' other.'

4;' A catch'comprisin'g in` combination,v a bracket'provided with spaced apart side walls eachhavingmtsemicylindricalV bearing' depression at'one end, a pairv of i elongated fingers supported bysaid"bracket`in substan-l tiallyparallel-and lspaced relation' to eachother andV one endofeach linger" comprising one ofa pair of4 opposed jawsA arranged to receive'and engage therebetween' a strike, a'transversfwall"secured' to said' bracket between"V saidngers, theothe'r ends ofsaid fingers being'be'nt toward` each other' anddisplaced laterally with respect'toA each* otherso as t'o extend past'each other without'int'efrference in the sametra'nsverse plane, each of said iing'ersl havinga semi-'cylindrical bearingportion adjacent' the bent end thereof, said bearing portions being movably disposed respectively.- within" the bear-ing. depressionsV of said 'side' wallsof said bracketto permit limited pivotal! movement of `said iingers relativethereto, the distance betweenV the side walls being greater adjacent the trans- Y verse'wall to permit said pivotalA movement,` and acoiled spring. of smaller diameter.. than the length-.of the bent 5 6 1 ends of said fingers positioned against said transverse 1,541,483 DArdenne June 9, 1925 wall to abut said bent ends of said fingers and exert a Y 2,244,344 North et al. June 3, 1941 thrust thereagainst in a direction substantially longi- 2,376,325 Borchers May 22, 1945 tudinally of said fingers and thereby yieldably bias said 2,478,433 Swanson Aug. 9, 1949 jaws toward each other. 5

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 100,616 Gravan Mar. s, 1870 lo 170,586 Perry Nov. 30, 1875 

